There's no denying that Nintendo have been at something of a quandry when it comes to third-party support so it could be seen as ironic that a game from Tomonobu Itagaki by the name of Devil's Third would end up being released almost exclusively for the Wii U almost as if it's some kind of omen.

Solid single player campaign; Unique combat mechanics; Comprehensive multi-player; Kills are ludicrously fun

It will only gain a cult following; The micro-transactions are unnecessary

Devil's Third is awful. The story is horrible, despite trying to laugh at itself, and the gameplay is much worse. The controls are clunky and laughably outdated, it really does feel like a mediocre PS2 game, and it doesn't look much better, matching up to early Xbox 360 games at its best.

+ It is playable; technically

- Controls are clunky; - Gameplay awful; story terrible; - Very ugly; - Core mechanics are broken; - Shocking AI / bosses

Devil's Third opens boldly with your hero--a Russian Vin Diesel lookalike called Ivan who is permanently topless and covered in Japanese tattoos--playing a drum solo in his cell in Guantanamo Bay while a riot ensues throughout the rest of the camp. Why has he been locked up in Gitmo?

Occasionally funny; intentionally or otherwise; Comical and inventive multiplayer modes

Clunky; frustrating action; Plenty of bugs--some funny; some infuriating; Free-to-play elements in a full-price game; Utterly laughable main character

Devil's Turd.

Multiplayer can be fun; with loads to unlock

Dated visuals; Dated gameplay; Dated concept

My taste in films is somewhat strange. I can feel like watching the latest blockbuster at the local cinema just as much as revisiting David Fincher's filmography; I can stay glued to the couch if I get my hands on any of Stallone's testosterone-filled flicks, but also if Man of Steel's on TV, if...

Despite a decent stab at multiplayer, however, Devil's Third isn't even average. The game represents at least six years of development, but over that time the concept has been mangled.

Devil's Third has had a protracted and curious road to the Wii U, with notable gaps between regional releases and the peculiarity of an upcoming free-to-play online version for PC.

Recent history has proven to us that Nintendo platforms aren't traditionally the best stomping ground for ‘mature' titles. Yes, there have been a couple exceptions throughout the years but the general consensus is that if you want a shooter filled with blood and guts it is better to look elsewhere.

Solid; simple and fun online

Camera angles | Framerate issues | Entire single player campaign

Devil's Third is an exercise in cynicism, a video game seemingly created for people who secretly hate them. There's barely even a seed of a good idea here, let alone a fully formed one.

Mixes melee and gunplay

Random damage spikes; Simple; repetitive combat; Dull presentation; Pay-to-win multiplayer

Getting Devil's Third to market has been a crazy trip for Tomonobu Itagaki and Valhalla Studios. During development, the title has switched graphics engines something like four times and managed to endure what should have been fatal transitions between multiple publishers and partner studios along...

Bringing a sledgehammer to a gunfight..; and winning

The single-player content is a technical disaster